Traveling crane.



A. LAUKHUF'P.

TRAVELING CRANE.

ARPLIOATION I'ILED MAY 22, 1908. RENEWEDSEPT, 29, 1912.

1,093,057., Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

filywf INVENTO'R ALFRED LAUKHUFF, OF DUISBURG, GERMANY.

TRAVELING CRANE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 22, 1908, Serial No. 434,247.

Patented Apr. M, 19141. Renewed September 29, 1913. Serial No. 792,485.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED LAUKHUFF, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of the city of Duisburg, Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traveling Cranes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lifting and-conveying apparatus; and, while it may be embodied in constructions adapted for various purposes, it is more particularly applicable to traveling cranes moving on elevated runways.

In apparatus of the character referred to, as ordinarily constructed, the traveling crane moves upon a runway comprising a pair of parallel rails and is provided with a track running lengthwise of the crane and below and transversely to the runway supporting the crane. The field of action therefore of the carriage which travels upon the crane track is limited to the area between the lines of supports of the elevated runways, as the track of the crane, extending transversely to said supports, can not pass by them. This is a serious defectand has unduly limited the usefulness of cranes of-this character.

Objects of the invention, therefore, are to provide a construction of traveling crane and supports and runway therefor which shall permit the crane with its track to extend in either direction laterally beyond its supports, and to permit the carriage travel ing upon the crane trackway to run beyond the supports; which shall permit two or more of these constructions to be used as one; which shall have the efficiency and serve the purposes of a gauntree crane and yet be of lighter, stronger, and simpler construction and require less power to operate, while at the same time being capable of greater speed; and to provide an apparatus of the character described which shall be simple and durable in construction and efficient and economical in operation.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully explained in the following description.

The invention consists in the novel parts, arrangements, combinations, features of construction, and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, whichis referred to herein and forms a part hereof,

illustrates one embodiment of the invention, the same serving in connection with the description herein to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawing: Figure l is an elevation of an embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 is an inverted plan View of a detail.

A traveling crane constructed in accordance with certain features of my invention comprises in combination, a series of spaced supports arranged in line, a runway mounted on said supports, a crane traveling on said runway, said crane having a portion arranged below the runway and extending beyond both sides thereof, means whereby said crane is permitted to travel past said supports, and a carriage traveling on said crane below said runway and across the line of the supports.

A traveling crane constructed in accordance with certain other features of my invention, comprises in combination, a series of spaced supports arranged in line, a runway mounted on said supports, a crane traveling on said runway, said crane having a sectional track portion arranged below said runway, a track section on each side thereof, and a carriage constructed to travel on said sectional track across the line of the supports.

According to certain other features of the invention, said track sections may be connected by movable track sections; said carriage has a series of wheels, three at least of said wheels being so spaced that the distance between adjacent wheels is at least equal to the distance between the said track sections; and said elevated runways comprise a plurality of rails, each supported by a series of supports arranged in line.

These and other features of the invention will in part be obvious and in part be more fully explained in the following description.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises an elevated runway for a traveling crane. While this runway and its supporting structure may be made in various ways to adapt them to meet different conditions of use and therefore to follow any required path and have any desired number of rails, as shown, said runway comprises a pair of rails 1, 2, supported by a plurality of series of supports 3 and l, respectively, each series being arranged in line and its columns being suitably spaced. Upon this elevated runway travels a crane 5, which is shown as being mounted on wheels 6 and 7 which are, preferably, centered in crossbeams 8, 9 and 10, 11, respectively, and driven through spur gearings 12 and a shaft 13 by an electromotor 1 1, the feed wires for which may run along one of the rails. 7

While this crane may be of any suitable construction, in the preferred embodiment of the same illustrated in the drawings it is shown as having a track portion arranged beneath the runway and extending in the direction of the length of the crane and transversely to and, preferably, on both sides of the lines of supports 3 and 4. This track portion may comprise one or more rails, as desired, two rails being shown in Fig. 2.

It will be obvious that in order to permit the crane 5 with its track portion to pass any of the supports in the series 3 and at, while traveling upon the runway, either said supports must be adapted to permit the track portion to pass through them or said track portion must be adapted to pass by said supports. Preferably, said track portion is adapted to pass by said supports; and, while this may be accomplished in any suitable way, I prefer, as shown, to attain this result by constructing said track portion in sections, 18, 19, and 20, one on each side of each line of supports, the track sections 19 and 20 forming part of the jibs 21 and 22, respectively. WVhile these jibs 21 and 22 may be connected to the main body of the crane in a swinging manner, as vertically or horizontally, like in harbor cranes for example, they are shown as being integrally united with the crane. In order to unite any of said sections to make a continuous track upon which a carriage may run, preferably, movable connecting track sections are provided. Vhile these connecting track sec tions may be fashioned in various ways, as shown, a section 23 is pivotally connected to one of the adjacent sections of track, and by means of a roller 2a which bears against guides 25, which are fastened to the sup ports for the runway, is swung into the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, when the track is passing a support, from which position it is returned to its original position by the pull of a weight or spring, the latter being indicated at 23 in Fig. 2. Of course, the movable section may be arranged to swing in other directions, if desired.

If for any reason it is desired not to use the movable connecting track sections to unite the sections of the track rails; or, if it is desired to relieve the pressure on the movable sections, a carriage adapted to bridge the breaks in the rails may be employed.

This carriage may be made in various ways. Preferably, a frame 26 is mounted on wheels, those on one side being shown and preferably in pairs 27, 28, and 29, 30. WVhen the carriage is crossing a break in the track, as between sections 18 and 20, while the wheel '30 is in the space between the sections, the carriage is supported by the other wheels; and, when the Wheel 29 is in said space between the sections, the carriage is supported by the wheel 30, which has reached section 20, and the other wheels remaining on section 18. It is obvious that to permit of this operation at least three wheels on a side must be used and the distance between the axes of adjacent wheels must be at least equal to the distance between the sections of the track to be bridged. It will also be seen that the carriage may in this manner pass from one crane to another, as from section 19 of the crane illustrated to section 31 of the adjoining crane.

Suitable provision may be made to prevent the carriage from interfering or colliding with the supports ofthe elevated run way. As shown, a brake 32 is mounted between each pair of wheels 27, 28 and 29, 30, and each brake is operated to clutch the wheels by an arm 33 coming in contact with a guard 3% on the support of the runway, said arm 33 also sliding upon a bar 35 con nected with the frame of the carriage and effecting a cut off of the power, which may be furnished in any suitable manner. Upon leaving the zone of the support a spring 36 operates to return the brake 32 to its normal position. Similar means may be provided for preventing movement of the crane, when the carriage is in the line of the supports.

It will be seen that this construction of traveling crane can take the place of a gauntree crane and the field served by the crane utilized to more advantage, as there is no runway to be kept clear, as in the case of the gaunt-rec, this feature being of special advantage in using the apparatus in coal,

ore, and other storage places.

It will be seen that by-reason of the construction shown and described a form of traveling crane and supporting structure therefor is provided which extends the field of action beyond the supports for the crane; which permits the fields of action of two or more independent cranes to be utilized as one field; which performs the functions of a gauntree crane without being "subject to the disadvantages of the latter; which can be adapted in form to meet the requirements of the various fields of use; and which is simple and durable in construction, and efficient and economical in operation. These and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 7 i

It is to be understood that my invention in its broader aspects is not limited tothe precise construction shown nor to any particular construction by which the invention has been or may be carried into effect, as many changes may be made in the details of the parts without departing from the main principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

I claim:

1. A traveling crane including in combi nation, a series of spaced supports arranged in line, a runway mount-ed on said supports, a crane traveling on said runway, said crane having a portion arranged below the runway and extending beyond both sides thereof, means whereby said crane is permitted to travel past said supports, and a carriage traveling on said crane below said runway and across the line of the supports.

2. A'traveling crane including in combination, aseries of spaced supports arranged in line, a runwaymounted on said supports, a crane traveling on said runway, said crane having a track portion arranged below said runway and extending on opposite sides thereof, means whereby said crane is permitted to travel past said supports, and a carriage constructed to travel on said track portion across the line ofthe supports.

3. A traveling crane including in combination, a series of spaced supports arranged in line, a runway mounted on said supports, a crane traveling on said runway, said crane having a sectional track portion arranger below said runway and with a track section on each side thereof, and a carriage constructed to travel on said sectional track across the line of the supports.

4. A traveling crane including in combination, a series of spaced supports arranged in line, a runway mounted on said supports, a crane traveling on said runway, said crane having a sectional track portion ar'anged below said runway with a track section on each side thereof connected by a movable track section whereby said crane is permitted to travel past said supports, and a carriage constructed to travel on said track and across the line of the supports.

5. A traveling crane including in combination, a series of spaced supports arranged in line, a runway mounted on said supports, a crane traveling on said runway, said crane having a sectional track portion arranged below said runway and with a track section on each side thereof, and a carriage traveling on said track, said carriage having a series of wheels, three at least of said wheels being so spaced that the distance between the adjacent wheels is at least equal to the distance between the said track sections.

6. A traveling crane including in combination, a plurality of series of spaced supports arranged in parallel lines, a runway mounted on each series of supports, and a crane traveling on said runways, said crane having a portion arranged below the said runways and extending on both sides of one of them.

7. A traveling crane including in combination, a plurality of series of spaced supports arranged in parallel lines, a runway mounted on each series of supports, and a crane traveling on said runways, said crane having a portion arranged below the said runways and extending on both sides of a plurality of them.

8. A traveling crane including in combi nation, a plurality of series of spaced supports arranged in parallel lines, a runway mounted on each series of supports, a crane traveling on said runways, said crane having a portion arranged below the said runways and extending on both sides of one of them, means whereby said crane is perniitted to travel past saic supports. and a carriage traveling on said crane below said runways and across the lines of the supports.

9. A traveling crane including in combination, a plurality of series of spaced sup ports arranged in parallel lines, a runway mounted on each series of supports, a crane traveling on said runways, said crane having a portion arranged below the said runways and extending on both sides of a plurality of them, means whereby said crane is permitted to travel past said supports, and a carriage traveling on said crane below said runways and across the lines of the supports.

10. A traveling crane including in combination, a plurality of series of spaced sup ports arranged in parallel lines, a runway mounted on each series of supports, a crane traveling on said runways, said crane having a sectional track portion arranged below said runways and with a track section on each side of at least one of said run ways, and a carriage constructed to tavel on said sectional track across the lines of the supports.

11. A traveling crane including in combination, a plurality of series of spaced supports arranged in parallel lines, a runway mounted on each series of supports, a crane traveling on said runways, said crane having a sectional track portion arranged below said runways with a track section on each side of at least one of said runways connected by a movable track section whereby said crane is permitted to travel past said 1 supports, and a carriage traveling on said track and across the lines of the supports.

12. A traveling crane including in combination, a plurality of series of spaced supports arranged in parallel lines, a runway mounted on each series of supports, a crane traveling on said runways, said crane having a sectional track portion arranged below said runways and with a track section on each side of at least one of said runways,

and a carriage traveling on said track, said carriage having a series of wheels, three at least of said wheels being so spaced that the distance between the adjacent wheels is at least equal to the distance between the said track sections.

13. A traveling crane including in combination, a series of spaced supports arranged in line, a rail mounted on said supports, a crane traveling on said rail, said crane having a portion arranged below the rail and extending on opposite sides thereof, means independent of said supports'for supporting one end of said crane, means whereby said crane is permitted to travel past said supports, and a carriage traveling on said crane below said runway and across the line of the supports.

141-. A traveling crane including in combination, a series of spaced supports arranged in line, a runway mounted on said supports, a crane traveling on said runway, said crane having a portion arranged below the runway and extending beyond both sides thereof, means whereby said crane is permitted to travel past said supports, a carriage traveling on said crane below said runway and across the line of the supports, and means for automatically preventing a collision between said carriage and said supports.

15. A traveling crane including in combination, a pin 'ality of series of spaced supports arranged in parallel lines, a runway mounted on each series of supports, a crane traveling on said runways, said crane having a sectional track portion arranged below said runways with a track section on each side of at least one of said runways connected by a movable track section whereby said crane is permitted to travel past said supports, a carriage traveling on said track and across the lines of the supports, and means for stopping said carriage when in the zone of a support.

16. A traveling crane including in combicrane having a sectional track portion arranged with a track section on each side thereof, and a carriage constructed to travel on said sectional track across the line of the supports.

18. A traveling crane including in combination, a series of spaced supports arranged in line, a runway mountedon said supports, a crane traveling on said runway, said crane having a sectional track portion with a section on each side thereof, and a carriage traveling 011 said track, said carriage hav ing a series of wheels, three at least of said wheels being so spaced that the distance between the adjacent wheels is at least equal to the distance between the said track sections.

19. A traveling crane including in combination, a. series of spaced supports arranged in line, a runway mounted on said supports,

a crane traveling on said runway, said crane v having a portion extending beyond both sides thereof, means whereby sald crane 1S permitted to travel past sald supports, and

a carriage adapted to travel on said crane in the horizontal plane of said runway and across the hue of supports.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speclfication 1n the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED LAUKHUFF.

lVitnesses PETER LIEBER, VILHELM FLASOHE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

